External walls are often overlooked when cleaning a property's exterior. Here's how professional wall cleaning works and what it can achieve.
When homeowners think about exterior cleaning, they typically think first about driveways and patios. But external walls -- whether rendered, brick, or natural stone -- can become equally dirty and stained over time, detracting significantly from the overall appearance of the property.
Types of Wall Contamination
Algae and mould: The most common problem, particularly on rendered walls in shaded or damp locations. Algae creates green, black, or grey discolouration across the render surface.
Lichen: More problematic than algae, lichen forms flat, crusty patches on brick and stone. It physically bonds to the surface and can be difficult to remove without specialist treatment.
Efflorescence: White, powdery deposits that appear on brick and render, caused by soluble salts migrating to the surface as moisture evaporates. Not harmful to the surface but visually prominent.
General weathering and pollution: Brick and render accumulate atmospheric pollution, traffic grime, and general weathering staining over time, giving the property a tired, dark appearance.
The Cleaning Process
Wall cleaning requires careful pressure management -- particularly on rendered surfaces, where too much pressure can damage or remove the render. We typically use softer washing techniques for rendered walls: applying specialist cleaning solutions and using lower-pressure rinsing to remove biological growth without damaging the surface.
Brick cleaning is more straightforward but still requires care to avoid damaging the mortar. We treat biological growth with biocidal products before pressure washing, achieving a much more thorough and longer-lasting result.
What About Pebbledash?
Pebbledash render -- common on 1950s and 1960s UK housing -- requires particular care. The loose stone aggregate that characterises pebbledash can be dislodged by excessive pressure. We use low-pressure soft washing techniques for pebbledash surfaces.
A full exterior clean covering the driveway, patio, paths, and walls transforms the overall appearance of a property and significantly increases kerb appeal. Contact us to discuss a comprehensive exterior clean for your home.
Written by the Tamworth Brighter Drives team
With over 10 years of experience cleaning and restoring driveways and patios across Tamworth and the Midlands, our team shares practical knowledge drawn from thousands of real jobs.
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